Papa John's has responded to the petition asking to increase its vegan offering

There is good news for people looking for a Friday night plant-based takeaway after a spokesman for the company has responded to the petition.

Papa John’s has more than 350 outlets in the UK, with a store in most major Sussex towns, including Brighton, Worthing, Chichester, Eastbourne, Crawley and Hastings.

A spokesman for the company said: “At Papa John’s, we are completely committed to our customers, and ensuring that we deliver better pizza with better ingredients.

“We were pleased to see the positive response to the recent vegan cheese alternative petition, as this is currently an area that we are developing, and hoping to roll out in the not-so-distant future.”

Nearly 30,000 people signed the petition

This Veganuary, a campaign where people take part in a month-long vegan pledge, is set to be the biggest yet with record breaking numbers signing up this year.

Tod Bradbury, Animal Aid campaign manager, said: “We are thrilled to see that Papa John’s has reacted positively to our petition, and that they are looking to introduce a vegan cheese alternative very soon. We thank them for taking our comments and those of almost 30,000 others on board.

“By adding vegan cheese to their menu, Papa John’s will be showing that they are up to date with the fast-growing vegan movement. They will appeal to a much wider audience - be they vegans, those wanting to try vegan food or indeed those who have allergies to dairy products.

“We hope that Papa John’s decision not only has a positive effect on their sales, but also encourages other pizza chains and restaurants who have not yet introduced a vegan cheese to do so.”